A sweet touch
by cantate
Summary: Summery: Elmont finds himself falling for the confectionary cook in the castle. But the shadows of her past life are not easily left behind
1. All in a days work

**_Hello all,_**

**_Anyone still here in this little fancorner?_**

**_I'd thought I'd try my luck with a new story.. Hope you enjoy it._**

**_Remember, I'm not a native speaker so I apologize for any errors you might find along the way._**

**_Rievews are greatly appreciated, thanks!_**

Humming a joyful tune to herself, Aislin Cavanagh wiped the last traces of icing sugar from the kitchen surface. Turning the kitchen to the spotless state that it had been on that morning when she had started with her day.  
Pushing back a blond lock of hair that had come undone from under her cap, she realized she was quite content with the work she had done today. The caramel for the little pear tartlets might have gone a just little darker than she wanted it to be, but the taste had been as intense as she had pictured it. Aislin was sure no-one but herself would mind that the color of the caramel would not be exactly the same as the hazelnuts she had chosen for decoration, as long as the caramel hadn't burned. But she was a perfectionist in her work and she knew that was part of the reason why she was working in the Royal castle of Cloister. Today was good, but she knew she could always do better tomorrow.

As head of the confectionary, Aislin was one of the two women running the kitchens in the castle. The biggest kitchen, used for all dinner preparations, was under the firm 'command' of Mary MacIntosh. Like her, Mary was a perfectionist that took no tolerance of any failure in her domain. She had kicked out new maids in less than an hour if she felt they did not take on their jobs seriously. Mary ran her kitchen like it was a military operation. But besides that, she was a kind warmhearted soul that cared for everyone in the castle. Also she never minded a bit of gossiping with Aislin, in their scarce free minutes between cooking.

Aislin had the smaller kitchen to be used only for bakery and sugar craft. She didn't mind. Unlike Mary she did not have an entire staff to keep busy, she worked alone. Sometimes one of the kitchen maids would help her in busy times like the Yuletide festival, or when a wedding was to be held at court. But otherwise it was just her and she liked it that way.

With a clean kitchen, her head was clear to think about her work for the next day. Tomorrow she would start with making a simple cinnamon sponge-cake, to give her some extra time for trying out a few more cake recipes for the princess' birthday next month. Princess Isabelle would turn eighteen and the King had ordered a big cake as a _grand finale _on the banquet that was held in honor of her birthday.

Rumor had it, the King would announce the engagement of his daughter to lord Roderick. Aislin had never seen him, but it was said he was a grumpy man, and much older than Isabelle. She hoped, for the princess' sake the rumors would prove untrue.

Aislin could picture a high cake, 4 or 5 layers maybe, lavishly decorated with sugar covered violets in different colors, that Aislin knew were the princess' favorite flowers. Only she wasn't quite sure about the filling yet. The vanilla cake with layers of strawberry mousse she had made today was nice, but would turn out too sweet in combination with the marzipan cover.

Absent mindedly she traced her finger alongside of the little "trial" cakes, and put it to her mouth to taste the mousse.

"_Hmmm still good though..." M_aybe she could try the mousse to fill out pastry baskets and cover them with fresh strawberries or other red fruit, to be used as a dessert. Tomorrow she would ask Mary, what she would think about the idea.

"Any leftovers for a hungry knight?" Crawes deep voice resonated through the kitchen. She turned round to greet her good friend. "Well well, how kind of you sir, to pay a poor cooks maid a visit at this late hour of the day". Aislin curtsied in joking manner.

"You are hardly a cooks mate, miss Cavanagh".

"And I have you to thank for it, sir Crawe", she replied.

"Not at all," Crawe smiled "this is your own, talent Aislin. All I had to do is point it out to the right people".

Aislin returned his smile "Well, Edward, I can honestly say it's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. And I will always be grateful that you did" "Grateful enough to spare a piece of cake? I'm starving!"

Aislin chuckled and reached for a plate. She cut a large piece of her 'trial' cake and put it in front of him. "Here, you can help me decide whether this would be a good base for the princess's cake."

Crawe grabbed a fork and took big bites of the cake. He didn't speak while eating, but from the approving noises she could tell he liked it.

He finished his plate before saying anything again. "Hmm that was divine! Just what I needed after this long day of training".

Without asking Aislin put a second helping on his plate Crawe started eating with the same eagerness as his first. "Elmont made us run barefoot for hours today, I sweat I could eat that entire cake!" He smiled apologetically at her as he took another bite. "Hmm. Ever considered that maybe lord Elmont makes you run so much, because you eat too much of my cake?". Crawe frowned at her. "No, I think he just likes to wear us out till we can say no more! I swear he has more energy than is good for him. We could be riding for days on end and he never even breaks a sweat."

Aislin looked out of the window trying hard block the mental image of lord Elmont riding his black horse, perfectly poised with the wind blowing through is hair making it stand in an upright position. His piercing blue eyes looking down at her.

Crawe didn't notice her sudden daydream as he kept rambling about how the different elements of the training had tired him, while he finished his second piece of cake. "He should have a girl to drain him of that excess energy, instead of taking it all out on us", Crawe mumbled to his empty plate.

"Edward?!" she scolded him. Shocked by his insinuating language, but more so shocked by the way she felt herself longing to be that girl.

"Sorry, Aislin.. I forget you are a woman sometimes".

She laughed... "Is that a compliment?!"

Crawe flushed a little and stammered "Well yes,... no.. Yes... I mean we've been friends for so long, to me you're like 'one of the guys' sometimes". Aislin smiled at him: "compliment it is... then. More...?" she asked pointing at his empty plate. Crawe shook his head. "No thank you. I should be getting home."

"Here", Aislin lifted the rest of the cake on a plate "why don't you take the rest of it home to Melissa and the girls".

"Thank you, Aislin, they will love it",

"Just return the plate, please. Otherwise our king Brahmwell will have my head."

Crawe chuckled. "Don't worry; our King doesn't interfere with petty theft. I would be more worried about lord Elmont having your head... or more if you decide to give him any trouble."

Aislin could feel her cheeks turning crimson. "Edward... please!"

"All right" he smiled, "I should know better than to make fun of a lady. Thanks for the cake, I promise to bring the plate back tomorrow.

And with a large grin Crawe left the kitchen. Probably knowing more then he should, as far as Aislin was concerned.!


	2. How it all began

**Hello there.. how nice of you to take an interest in my little story...**

**Thank you for the kind comments. **

**And a special thanks to Serendipityaey.. for taking the time and effort to beta this for me. **

That evening Aislin found herself unable to sleep. She stayed awake listening to the soft sounds around her. She could hear the wind blow in the chimney of her cottage, the gentle screeching of the branches at her bedroom window.

Well, bedroom was a big word. Het cottage was small. Just one simple room, with two folding screens to create the illusion of a separate bedroom. But besides being small, the cottage had one great asset. Instead of an open fireplace there was a little wood burning stove which allowed her to cook and it gave more than enough heat to warm the tiny living room.

Aislin knew how lucky she had been when she found the place, just a few years ago.

Times had been hard, and she had struggled to find enough money to rent it. And even more so, she had struggled to find a landlord that would take on a tenant in her situation.

She looked at the bed across the room. A few blond locks peaked out from underneath the duvet. Thomas always slept completely covered in his sheets, with only the crown of his hair uncovered, like a hedgehog in hibernation, she smiled to herself. Thomas was six years old now; a smart and lively boy that grew to be more and more like his father every day.

She hated having to lie. But even a kind lord like Sir Bingham would not have been kind enough to rent her this cottage, if he had known the truth about her. So she told him she was a widow, which wasn't far from the truth, except for the fact she had never been married. Thankfully Sir Bingham never asked any questions, but she knew he gave her a more decent price for rental, knowing she would not have much money. Still, even with this very generous offer, it had been hard to make ends meet. With no job and a young child to take care of, Aislin had to pinch every penny so they wouldn't go to bed hungry.

But that April, two years ago, things took a turn for the worse. With the weather consistently cold, the fresh food on the local market had doubled in price. On top of that her own tiny vegetable plot behind the cottage gave her nothing. She remembered how cold they had been. Her winter-stock of fire logs was gone. And without that there had been little dry wood left to burn. Aislin had seen no option but to beg for money to prevent worse.

* * *

(two years earlier…)

"Thomas, you can play with your friends over there, but I need you to stay where mommy can see you ok?" Aislin handed him one of the last two sugar scones. She had made them the day before with their very last sugar. It was small in size, but she knew the sugar would give him the little extra energy he would need to stay warm today.

"Sure mommy", the little boy nodded before rushing off to the corner of the square, where his friends were playing ball.

Aislin covered her hair with the hood of the brown cloak she was wearing. She'd rather not have familiar people recognizing her as she held up her hands to the rich travelers.

She was lucky. The town was filled with travelers wanting to visit the castle at the upcoming Easter festivities.

Aislin approached a tall man wearing expensive looking clothes. She swallowed once... "Excuse me good sir, could you spare a penny for a poor lady?" The man shot her an angry look "Go away!" he grunted, turning his back on her.

Aislin sighed and moved to a woman with a lavishly decorated hat, to ask her the same. But the woman ignored her as if she was filth.

She tried again and again, but most people turned her down before she was able to finish her sentence.

When she made eye-contact with a kind looking man, Aislin got her hopes up. But she had made a big mistake. When she asked him for money and held up her hand, the man raised his voice in anger: "donot bother me you beggar!"

From the corner of her eyes she could see one of the guards responding to the little uproar she had caused. Her eyes switchedquickly from left to right, judging if she could make a run for it, but it was too late. Quickly the knight approached to interfere.

"Is this lady bothering you, sir?" Thebearded slightly stubby knight gave her a firm look.

"She begged me for money", the man replied pointing his finger at her. The knight nodded. "I'll take it from here. You can continue on your way, sir." He said politely as he fobbed the man off. The man looked as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't. He just turned and walked away, leaving Aislin alone with the knight.

"Right, now tell me milady. Did you ask that man for money?"

Aislin looked down at her feet.

"You do know begging is forbidden on Cloister grounds?"

"Yes sir," she whispered, knowing better than to deny the obvious.

"Then you realize I should probably send you away or lock you up." The knight stated in a calm voice.

Aislin could feel the tears welling in her eyes. The whole situation just felt so hopeless. And it made her sad... no… it made her angry! Angry at everything and everyone that tried for trying to stop her taking care of her son any way she could. She wanted to tell the knight in front of her he could take a swim in the castle -moat, for all she cared. But instead she grabbed the last sugar scone and held it to his nose.

She could feel the rage boiling in her blood: "This…this is the last bit of food I have left to feed my son and myself! After that we have nothing!... Nothing! So what should I do? Would you rather have me stealing?" She looked the knight straight in his eyes.

Despite of her angry voice the knight kept a calm tone: "You could work for money"

"Work?!" Aislin threw her hands in the air "Work!.. Well sir, I can only work if I can bring my son with me, or someone is kind enough to watch him." The knight didn't respond to her shouting. He kept looking at her in a calm almost caring manner as he let her speak. Aislin calmed slightly "I work at a neighboring farm sometimes. I work the field while my son plays in the stables. But with this eternal winter, there's nothing for me to do."

"I am sorry". His response was honest.

"Yes, well 'sorry' doesn't pay my rent", she snapped at him.

Deep down she knew he didn't deserve a response like that, but she was still too angry. To her great surprise the knight remained cool. She didn't believe her eyes when she saw his hand reaching for is pouch as if he wanted to offer her something.

But just as she thought her luck had changed... another knight approached them. "Is there a problem Crawe?"

She looked at the direction of his voice and swallowed a gasp. Aislin wasn't much for fairy tales, but the man in front of her was everything a knight in a story book should be. Tall, handsome and with blue eyes that seemed to look right through her. His outfit was spotless and sparkled in the winter sun. His beard and goatee perfectly trimmed. Only his hair seemed out of place, as if underneath his cool and smooth appearance there was a wild side that couldn't be tamed.

"A gentleman just told me you were dealing with a beggar, is this her?" Aislin looked at the second knight and knew she was in trouble. His insigne's told her he was the Captain of the guards. And he was surely to judge her.

Aislin looked helplessly at Crawe.

Crawe shook his head: "Just a misunderstanding, Captain. This woman wasn't begging. She was merely selling some scones. I was just about to buy one off her." Her eyes widened at the lie he just told his captain. Crawe gave her a little wink. Quickly Aislin pulled herself together and handed him the sugar scone.

"Perhaps you have one for me as well, milady?" The captain asked her in serious voice. "It was the last one sir," she shrugged her heart pounded in her chest at the deceit.

She could see the corner of the captain's mouth curl into a suppressed smile. "Alas," he said, "Well pay the lady Crawe. We have more things to do."

"Yes sir", Crawe replied offering her his pouch with a large grin. "Keep the change, milady".

Aislin bowed and tried not to stumble over her own feet as she walked away.

Later, at home, she had opened the pouch and found enough gold to last them for a month.


	3. How it all began (part 2)

**Wow. Thank you all for your kind reviews, replies, follows and favourites... I feel truly blessed with your kindness. **

**Here's part to of the flashback. Hope you all enjoy**

Humming over her tiny stove Aislin poured the cake mixture in a tin. The scent of the sweet dough curled up her nose. It had been far too long since she had smelled something so nice. Aislin let Thomas have the spoon to lick as a treat, even though he would end up smearing most of it on his cheeks and into his hair. But Aislin loved his little sparkling eyes when he was allowed such a treat, so she didn't mind to clean up later.

Of course she had to thank him: the kind knight that the Captain had addressed as Crawe. Aislin used part of Crawe's money to buy a few luxury ingredients that she needed for a proper 'thank you'. She knew he had gone out on a limb for her, lying to his captain about her and she needed to show him she more than appreciated it.

The very next day, Aislin took to the square again hoping to find Crawe. There was no market today so only a few people walked round. In the far corner of the square she could see a man wearing the familiar black tenue of the Cloister-knights.

As if he sensed her stare the knight turned round and looked straight at her. Even from that distance Aislin felt his piercing eyes, causing her heartbeat to increase. The captain sent her a smile and walked towards her as if he wanted to make small talk.

"Good day, Milady", he smiled again, when he was close enough to talk... "G..good day.. c. captain" she stammered. Why was his presence making her so nervous? It wasn't like she had done anything illegal today.

"Beautiful day, today is it not?" He grinned a large grin as he lifted his head into the cold but sunny air. His auburn hair glistened in the sunlight. And once again Aislin was memorized by his appearance.

"Yes, sir, beautiful".. she muttered

"You can smell it in the air, springtime will be here soon I know."

_"__What does he want?"_Aislin wondered to herself. Surely he could not just be interested in discussing the weather with her.

"That smells good too. " Emont said, pointing at the basket she was holding: "Selling more pastries today?"

"What, sir?", she asked; having forgotten her alibi from the day before. "No, these are meant as a thank you for sir Crawe. He was so kind to me yesterday and...", Aislin stopped herself midsentence as she realized what she was about to say.

Elmont laughed kindly... "It's quite all right, miss Cavanagh".. _He knows my name?! _"Crawe told me the truth about your little meeting yesterday.

_The truth? Did he know she was a beggar? Did he know Crawe had paid her a month worth salary for a simple sugar scone? _Aislin was puzzled. She could feel her face burn with shame as the knight kept looking at her with his crystal blue eyes.

"I .. I am sorry... I didn't mean to...", she stammered not knowing what was expected of her, or what she needed to say to keep herself out of trouble.

"On behalf of Crawe and myself I would like to apologize to you, Milady". Apologize?!.. Now Aislin was even more confused. But Elmont seemed quite sincere.

"There is no need to be frightened." Elmont said kindly. "Just allow me to explain myself. The thing is, Cloister law does not quite forbid begging in the streets"

"It doesn't?" Aislin understood less and less of this conversation. "No, milady it does not, " he smiled. "It merely forbids to steal. We started telling people it was forbidden after, we found out that a certain group thieves used begging as a pretence; holding up one hand for a coin, while pick-pocketing a purse or bracelet with the other." Elmont frowned. It was obvious how he felt about such thievery and betrayal: "I have seen it happen to kind people, only wanting to help a poor soul but instead they were robbed of their precious belongings."

"So you thought I was a thief?!" Aislin was surprised to notice how much that pained her. She might have done things wrongly in her life, but she was no thief. To her, that was the only piece of dignity she had left and she vowed to herself never to take anything that belonged to another. She hated to think this captain would simply assume that she did, because she was poor.

But Elmont shook his head: "No. When I saw the way Crawe dealt with you, I knew you weren't".

Aislin pondered for a while before she asked: "So, was I almost arrested for a crime I didn't commit or for one that wasn't a crime in the first place?" She looked at him, her head slightly bent in a slight provocative manner.

It took him a few seconds to realize she was joking. But finally, she saw his face break into a surprised laugh. Aislin noticed how his whole face smiled when he did. Tiny lines curled around the corners of his mouth and eyes. His white teeth sparkled in the sunlight when he laughed an amused snicker.

She felt herself suppressing a giggle of her own, but his wholehearted laughter was contagious. And soon they both laughed out loud.

"Well, touché miss Cavanagh!", Elmont spoke as he finally regained his breath "I supposed I deserved that".

"To be ridiculed by a poor lass, you mean captain?" Aislin said daringly. Somehow that laugh seemed to have broken the barrier between them and she felt free to say whatever came to mind.

"Well, like I said, I owe you an apology". He bowed deeply for her.

Aislin startled when she felt him reach for her free hand. He lifted her hand, and gently brushed his lips on her fingers, barely touching her skin.

She shivered, though she wasn't cold. His warm breath lingering on the palm of her hand.

When he let her go, she quickly pulled back her hand, so he wouldn't notice the goose bumps that appeared on her arm.

"Apology accepted". Aislin held up the basket with ginger cake to offer him a piece.

"Well, I can't say no to that", he smiled and took a slice. He sniffed it before taking a bite. Elmont closed his eyes as he tasted the cake. He groaned to emphasize he liked it. Aislin couldn't tell if he was serious he liked it that much, but when he finished the cake in three bites, and licked his fingers, she believed he did.

"Will, you give the rest to sir Crawe, Captain?"

"I shall, Milady. Though I might keep the rest of it.. It's too good to miss." Elmont winked.

"You could, of course, buy a piece like your fellow knight did". Aislin resisted the urge to wink back.

"Well, I won't buy this cake, when it is meant as a friendly gesture to a colleague I hold dear", he smiled "But perhaps you should try and sell more cake, you have a talent!"

This sudden compliment made her blush: "Thank you Captain."

"Please," he said, as brushed an imaginary obstacle away with his hand "My name is John Elmont."

"Thank you, sir Elmont,"she blushed even deeper.

"Call me John, "he replied humbly. "Well, miss Cavanagh I hope we will cross paths again."

"Aislin, my name is Aislin."

A little smile curled the corner of his mouth again.

"Good bye, Miss Aislin, see you soon."

And with a little nod he walked away. Not knowing that that small compliment would change everything for her.


	4. A Royal request

_Hello everyone.. sorry to have kept you waiting for such a long time. I have been very tired lately.. but my energy levels are picking up again thank god (ok.. JediKayKenobi & Serendipityaey... you can smirk all you want... haha:)) Anyway.. on with the story. I promise the next chapter will have a lot of Elmont...:) enjoy!_

Very carefully Aislin removed the mold from the sugar sculpture. A little golden flower appeared. Gently she lifted it up and held it in the light to check for cracks. But the caramel had dried without flaws our or bubbles and Aislin was satisfied. Making these little sculptures was a delicate job, best done in the evening when the kitchen maids were done with their work and left for home. She loved staying in late so she could fully concentrate on her job. When the sugar had cooled enough she placed the flower next to a few others in a box. Later she would take them down to the cellar, so they would remain cool, till she had use for them. So far, she had made 12 of these flowers, but in a few weeks she´d have enough to decorate the large cake for the princesses' birthday.

Aislin could picture the cake in her mind: the huge tower of cake covered with a cream colored marzipan; a combination of the sugar flowers and fresh violets on top and alongside the cake, waving out like a waterfall. On the one hand she simply couldn´t wait to start putting it together, but at the same time she was grateful she still had a couple of weeks to prepare the large amount of decorations. This was going to be her best creation yet.

She tucked a simple cloth between the flowers and closed the box, so they wouldn't break during transportation. The empty mold could soak in a water filled basin overnight. Aislin couldn't bother to clean it now. It was late, and she needed to pick up Thomas. Thank god for Melissa Crawe who was looking after him. Melissa understood the importance of a job in the castle and never made a fuss, if Aislin's duties made her late once again. Quickly she dipped her hands in the water to rinse. As she wiped them on her apron a woman entered the kitchen.

Aislin turned at the sounds of the light footsteps on the tiles. A quick glance confirmed who she thought it was. She dropped to one knee and bowed respectfully. "Good evening your highness". "Please, get up.. Aislin.. you don't need to be so formal when we're alone". The vibrant young voice of Isabelle sounded through the kitchen. "Whatever you wish your highness", Aislin smiled as she stood up again. "You know you can call me Isabelle" "Of course.. Princess Isabelle"... Aislin winked at her. Isabelle rolled her eyes in return. Then they both laughed, feeling a little mischievous knowing they were free to speak without protocol. "Running away again, Isabelle?"

Aislin asked, scanning the princesses' face for signs of unhappiness. Isabelle ran off sometimes, when she felt trapped in her life of royalty. Sometimes she would 'hide' in Aislin's kitchen for a girly chat and a cup of tea. Even though Aislin was older than the princess, they quickly became good friends as they shared stories about their lives and comforted each other. Today however, Aislin saw no signs of unhappiness in the princesses' eyes. In fact her eyes were glimmering and she carried a little naughty smile. It was obvious she had a plan, and Aislin was to be part of it. "No, not today," Isabelle smiled. "Actually, I came because I wanted to ask you something" "Sure, what did you want to ask me?" Isabelle's eyes lit up: "Well, I had this idea, but you must tell me if you're too busy. I mean I know my father must have asked for something extravagant for my birthday, so really if you have no time... " "Just tell me Isabelle..."

Isabelle took one deep breath, realizing she must have been rambling with excitement: "I'm organizing a surprise birthday party for Elmont," she said grinning wildly. Aislin felt her heart skipping a beat upon hearing his name, but tried to sound cool and relaxed so Isabelle wouldn't notice her silly crush. "That's very kind of you, Isabelle". "He never celebrates his birthday. He says he doesn't have the time to do so. But this year I want to do something special for him! I know my father plans to marry me away soon, and I don't know how long Elmont will be my personal guardian. I just want him to know I care for him."

Aislin didn't fail to notice the bitter undertone of Isabelle's voice when she mentioned the possibility of being married. She could only hope King Brahmwell would choose wisely for her. Isabelle was a lovely free soul that, according to Aislin, deserved her happiness more than any other. "That's a lovely idea. I'm sure Elmont would appreciate the gesture. So what did you want to ask me?" "I wanted to ask you if you could bake a cake for him. But if you're too busy, I'll understand".Aislin chuckled: "You know that by being the princess all you have to do is give me the order to do so!" "I am asking you Aislin!" the princess frowned. This was typical for Isabelle. Always making sure others were all right, she always asked never would she demand anything. Aislin knew for sure that she would make a great Queen one day. "It would be my pleasure, Isabelle", she smiled at the girl. "Wonderful!" Isabelle clapped her hands in delight. "Just make something nice, whatever you feel like. The party will be tomorrow and..." "Tomorrow?!" Aislin interrupted, as she mentally summed up all the things she had planned for the next day. "Yes! tomorrow.. will that be all right?" Aislin sighed, knowing already she could not deny her request. "If it pleases you Isabelle, then I will". Isabelle smiled "It will! And it will please Elmont too no doubt!... thank you Aislin!" "You're welcome princess," she nodded.

"Good, the party will be held in the courtyard. I will have tents and fires set up to keep us warm in the evening." Isabelle's face lit up when she talked more and more about the details of the party. It was obvious she took great pleasure into organizing it. "...and of course you are welcome to celebrate with us, " she ended her speech "You can leave your son with one of my handmaidens. He could sleep over in the castle if he likes that." Aislin swallowed. How differently she was treated now, under the illusion of being a widow, than the years before when it was known in her home town she had a child out of wedlock. She hated having to lie to Isabelle, and everyone else around her. But, at the same time, was touched with all the kindness she received. "I'm sure he would love to, Isabelle. I thank you for such an offer" "No problem, Aislin. It will be a wonderful party!" "I'm sure it will, Isabelle. See you tomorrow." They said their goodbyes and left.

On the way home, Aislin felt the excitement for the next day buzzing in her stomach. Sometimes it was hard to believe how far she had come since she first moved to Cloister. When Elmont had given her a compliment on her baking, Aislin suddenly realized she could try to sell her products for a living. The little money Crawe had given her, was just enough to get her started. Of course, Crawe was her most loyal customer. But others soon followed. Even Elmont bought a few things every now and then. Mostly blueberry muffins, when they were in season. Aislin quickly learned they became the princess' favorite, and she'd always ask Elmont to bring her one from the market. Elmont preferred the strong spices himself. She always made sure to have a piece of ginger- of cinnamon cake left, just in case he'd show up. Aislin always hoped that he did. From there first meeting on the square Aislin could not stop to think about him. On their little short meetings she had come to know him as a kind man. She loved listening to the stories he told her about his work with the people he came across. Elmont always could bring a smile to her face, no matter how her morning had started. But reality never failed to bring her feet back on the solid floor. She knew she was just a simple girl, one with a blemished past. And he was a Nobleman, too good for the likes of her. Still, she enjoyed his company in the daytime. At night she would dream about a life where rank or blood had no meaning. And she would feel loved again one day. When the King asked for a confectionary cook, it was Princes Isabelle who had suggested Aislin to him. And all of a sudden Aislin found herself as a member of the Royal castle.

Little by little she started to believe her life might have something more in store for her.


	5. The Captain's party

_**Hello,**_

_**It's time for a party and lots of Elmont, don't you think?**_

_**A big thank you to Serendipityaey for taking the time and effort to beta this for me...**_

* * *

Aislin tried to get a glimpse of herself in the tiny cracked mirror she owned. On her bed, the few dresses she owned were spread out. She twirled round in a light blue dress made of a thin fabric. Too cold for the evening perhaps, but if she brought a shawl she wouldn´t be cold. And if she were she would just have to keep dancing to stay warm.

In her mind she imagined Elmont taking her by the hand and leading her to rhythm of a gentle tune.

"What do you think Thomas?"

Thomas was busy playing with a small carved wooden horse, but looked up when his mother spoke to him. "You're pretty mommy, " he smiled.

"Thank you love. Is this better than the green one you think?"

Thomas nodded: "Blue is my favorite color".

Aislin stroked the golden locks of her son's hair. "Are you sure you won't mind sleeping in the castle without me?"

Even though she knew he'd be taken care of, Aislin felt anxious to leave him alone. She would hate for him to wake up with a nightmare and not find her close.

"Nohoo," he sighed making her realize she had been asking him this question a bit too much. "I need to stay at the castle, because I am a knight and I need to protect the princess!" He waved the horse in his hand as if it were a sword. Aislin chuckled. "Of course you are, sweetheart. Now.. would this knight be so kind as to escort his mother to the castle?"

"Okay mommy, can I bring my horse?"

"Sure honey, we can't have a knight without a horse, now can we."

* * *

When Aislin arrived in the courtyard, the party had already started. She had put Thomas in the care of Isabelle's handmaiden Susanna. Thankfully Thomas liked her at first sight. Within a few minutes they were playing games, and Aislin felt all right to leave.

Quickly she had rushed to the kitchen to pick up the cake she made for Elmont.

And now she found herself holding a cake, looking out over all the merry people. It was a cozy party. She recognized a few knights, but saw no sign of Crawe.

Aislin could not help but to feel out of place. The royal Knights had changed their shiny armor into fine suits. She realized all the more these men were of noble blood. Around them swirled women in beautiful dresses and covered in shiny jewelry.

Aislin looked down at her own simple blue dress. It was the nicest one she owned, but it was nothing like the ones worn by the women in the courtyard. To make matters worse, she noticed a dark stain on her chest where the cake had brushed against it. Part of her just wanted to leave and save herself from being embarrassed. But she had promised Isabelle she would stay, so she would try to make the best of it.

She tried to find Elmont or Isabelle amidst the people so she would know where to put the cake down. Her eyes scanned over the square.

When she spotted him, she saw that three pretty young girls had surrounded Elmont and were begging him for his attention. She could hear Elmont laugh at a joke someone made. He looked radiant. His cheeks were slightly flushed and his eyes sparkled. When Isabelle came to greet him the girls bowed deeply, as did Elmont. But Isabelle was having none of it, and she threw her arms around his neck to congratulate him. Aislin smiled when she saw Elmont placing a fatherly kiss on her forehead. He might be her guardian, but to her it was obvious they shared a strong bond.

Isabelle looked up and caught her eye "Aislin! " she shouted and gestured her to come closer.

Aislin took a deep breath and carefully walked towards them. Her arm-muscles started to burn: she really needed to put this cake down soon.

She made it through the crowd without any damage. She was greeted by a wide smiling Isabelle, whom immediately started singing "Happy birthday to you."Aislin joined her voice and soon everyone else was singing along. Elmont grinned as she handed him his birthday cake. " Is that for me?!"he asked her in a humble tone of disbelief as he put the cake down on a nearby table.

"Well it has your name on it.. so I suppose so, " Aislin winked at him. Elmont looked closely at the white curled icing letters written inside the shape of a Knights shield. Above it was a small version of the apple tree; symbolic for Cloisters fruitful fields. It had taken her a few attempts to get it just right, and it delighted her to see he noticed her handiwork.

"You've outdone yourself again, miss Cavanagh," he smiled at her: "I almost feel sorry to eat it!" Aislin blushed at his compliment and mumbled something like: "it's nothing, really!"

She was not about to tell him she had spent almost a full day on it. She knew she had given this cake more time and energy then she would have done for any other, even with the little time she had to prepare.

Isabelle clapped her hands to summon a few servants to help with the cutting and serving. The three girls pushed themselves forward to be first in line. Naturally Aislin took a step back to let them get closer; feeling it wasn't her place to be up the front. To her surprise, Elmont stepped back a little to stand right next to her. "I love it, Aislin..." he whispered close to her ear. Aislin could feel his soft warm breath in her neck. How could such a lovely feeling send a shiver over her spine.What was it about this man that made her legs feel like jelly whenever he got too close?

Aislin scolded herself mentally for letting herself be carried away. She should know by now she was too old for fairy tales!

So she tried to pull herself together and simply smiled at him. "I'm glad you do, captain," she replied respectfully.

Elmont grimaced. "John!"

"John," she repeated, feeling the heat creep up to her cheeks again.

Thankfully he got pulled away by the tallest of the three girls. "Will you dance with me, lord Elmont?" she asked in a high pitched sweet voice, that somehow sounded more like a demand than a question.

"Surely, Milady Rosamund." Elmont let himself be dragged to the dance floor. Lady Rosamund gave Aislin a victorious look as she led him away.

Aislin spend the rest of the evening by chatting to a few familiar people. Crawe arrived somewhat later, and was even kind enough to ask her to dance once. Besides that, she stayed in the back observing everyone else.

Soon the darkness fell, and the moon was high up in the sky. Aislin shivered, besides the large amount of fires on the square to keep the cold out, she pulled her shawl a little closer around her shoulders. Maybe it was best to go home. It was getting late, and she would have enough to do tomorrow. But returning to an empty cottage, without Thomas wasn't much appealing to her. She tried to cover a weary yawn that escaped from her mouth.

"I hope you don't find this party boring. Cause if so, I'd feel obliged to entertain you!"

Aislin turned round to see Elmont. He already held out his hand to her, his eyes questioning.

"Well no I erhm.. I'm not a good dancer really," she shrugged apologetically

"Nonsense! I'll lead." And without waiting for her reply he pulled her in for a dance.

The band played a soft almost melancholy tune. Elmont had one hand placed at her back and another on her left shoulder. She could feel the warmth of his skin through the thin fabric of her dress. He looked her straight in the eye as he gently pushed her to follow his steps.

She really did not consider herself to be a good dancer. But with Elmont leading her, Aislin felt like she was floating on air.

Maybe it was the wine she had been drinking, or maybe she really was tired... but her head was spinning. If Elmont had said anything, she probably would not have heard him. She couldn't even hear the music anymore. All she heard was the heavy thumping of her own heart as Elmont glided her from one end of the square to the other.

It wasn't until she heard Elmont say her name that Aisin realized the music had stopped and she had her eyes closed. When she opened her eyes she was greeted by a large smile.

"Thank you, " she whispered "that was lovely"

"You are very welcome, Milady," Elmont gave her a respectful bow as he kissed her hand like he had done the first time they shared a conversation. His goatee tickling her skin.

"Lord Elmooont?"Much to Aislin's annoyance, the high pitched voice of lady Rosamund broke their intimate moment,

"Lord Elmont... will you dance with me again?" Aislin frowned at the way lady Rosamund widened her eyes and tilted her head beckoning. She was young much younger than she was, and way too young for Elmont as far as Aislin was concerned. But she was beautiful and undoubtedly rich and from noble blood. Aislin could not help but to feel a little jealous.

"I would have loved to, but I fear I can't lady Rosamund, " Elmont smiled politely at the young girl. "I must see miss Cavanagh home safe."

"You're leaving ?!" the girl almost shrieked, as she shot Aislin a look that gave away the rest of the question 'With her...'

Elmont nodded calmly. "Yes, sadly. But feel free to stay here as long as you wish to dance. Have a good night, milady".

She was impressed with the way Elmont brushed lady Rosamund off with such grace and class. But, it was easy to see the girl was not pleased at all with his answer. However, she kept herself together as she bowed him goodbye, equally well mannered, and rushed away.

"You don't have to take me home, John. I'll be all right." Aislin said the moment lady Rosamund was no longer within hearing distance.

"I most certainly will! Your cottage is about 3 miles down the hill and it's pitch black. I won't let you go by yourself." Elmont sounded determined. But she didn't want him to leave his own party just to take her home.

"I know the way, even in darkness. Really, I can manage."

"It isn't safe for a lady alone at this time of night. So either I take you home or..." he paused for a second, his gaze turning soft as he looked at her. "Just let me get my horse, and I'll take you Aislin."

Aislin wanted to say something back but Elmont simply ignored her and ordered someone in the distance to the stables.

Only minutes later, Aislin found herself sitting sideways on a horse in front of Elmont.

With one arm to hold the reigns, and one to prevent her from falling, Elmont trotted the horse down the village in a gentle pace.

Aislin felt herself doze off with the soft rocking of the horse. She leaned against his chest, feeling safer than she ever felt before in her life.

"You're home, milady."Elmont's warm voice woke her from her slumber.

"Oh right... thank you John".

Aislin let herself be helped down to the ground. She pulled her scarf closer round her shoulders, already missing the warmth from Elmont's body.

"Goodnight Aislin," he smiled. And with a gentle nod he rode off in the moonlight.

Aislin opened the door and stepped into her home. When she closed the door behind her, she let out a heavy sigh. She knew she was going to remember this evening for a long time.


	6. a happy birthday

**Hey all,**

**couldn't resist this date to post anoher chapter... well the same chapter really, but this time we get to see it through Elmont's eyes...**

**Thanks, as always to serendipityaey **

**Enjoy... **

"Thank you Isabelle."

Elmont placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He could hear the other girls hissing something about his lack of manners. As always, the girls were jealous of anyone he gave some special attention to, even if that someone was the princess of Cloister. The one he had sworn an oath to protect with his life.

Especially that lady Rosamund. Elmont did not quite understand why she had to be here. If it was up to him, he wouldn't even have invited her, but Isabelle probably thought they were courting. Or that is what lady Rosemund had made her believe.

Isabelle had set up this wonderful party for him, just for him, and she had tried everything in her power to make it perfect. Elmont felt privileged to have witnessed her grow up into a fine woman. But most of all he felt privileged to be her friend.

Deep down he knew, things would change if she got married. She knew it too. That's why he appreciated this party more than anything.

"That's not all..." Isabelle's eyes sparkled with her hidden surprise, "Aislin...over here!"

Elmont followed her gaze to the edge of the square, to the beautiful creature standing there.

Elmont felt his heart skip a beat. Dressed in a stale pale blue gown, and a simple scarf draped around her shoulders, Aislin outsparkled every heavily decorated woman at the party. Or at least, so he thought.

She walked towards them. Her arms started to tremble with the heavy two layered cake she was carrying. Quickly he took it from her arms.

To his delight, Elmont noticed she had made a cake especially for him. The fine icing letters and precise decorations gave away she had spent more time on it then she ought to have done.

Around him, the people burst out into a merry birthday song.

"Is that for me?!" he asked Aislin once the singing had stopped

"Well it has your name on it.. so I suppose so, " she winked at him.

He had to tell her how much he loved it. But somehow he was pushed away by a few servants wanting to cut the cake, and a few eager people wanting a piece. Aislin's baking was famous.

Elmont managed to speak to her, just a little, before lady Rosamund pulled him away for a dance. He followed her, for now, but made a mental note to ask Aislin for a dance later on.

He tried to be as polite as he could while lady Rosamund talked on and on about the latest fabrics she had ordered from the South. She was a young vibrant girl. The daughter of an earl in a neighbouring country. Rosamund had just turned 19 and was getting anxious to marry. It was obvious to anyone, she had her heart set on Elmont. She had waited on numerous occasions after training to try and get his attention. Elmont had been flattered at first, and since she was both beautiful and of noble blood he had taken her for a few rides through the fields to get to know her better. Unfortunately he found out Rosamund was too young to be considerate about anything or anyone else but herself. She had no interest in politics nor did she show any compassion for those less fortunate then herself. No, lady Rosamund was not the right girl for him.

Elmont was well aware of the fact he wasn't a boy anymore, and he ought to have married years ago. But he didn't feel like spending the rest of his life with someone he didn't feel close to. And, as long as he had not met anyone to match his criteria, he found enough satisfaction in his daily work. Elmont didn't mind having to chase after the princess after she had run off again. He understood why she needed to get away. Like her, he hoped to find true love one day.

He glanced over lady Rosamund's shoulder to catch a glimpse of Aislin, while she was still busy handing out pieces of cake. He saw her as she licked a bit of cream off her finger. Absent-mindedly his own tongue touched his bottom lip, as if she had offered it for him to taste.

He liked her. More than liked her! From the moment they had first talked. Aislin knew about struggling to survive. And she had shown him pure fire when she protested on behalf of her boy. Still, now that he had gotten to know her a little, he never found her bitter or acting like she was a victim. In fact, she was hopeful and vibrant.

But there was more... Elmont felt like there were some pieces of the puzzle missing. Whenever he would ask her about her life before she moved to Cloister, she'd quickly try to change the subject. He could not help but to be intrigued but it. He could not help but to be intrigued by her!

"But this is just perfect, don't you think so sir Elmont?" Rosamund looked up to him questioning.

Elmont realized he had not listened to a word she had been saying. "I am sorry, Milady. I was caught in the music, you were saying?" He gave her a humble smile, hoping she wouldn't be too offended by his sudden daydreaming.

But she smiled back at him: "how perfect this is, sir Elmont. Just the two of us... dancing...".

Lady Rosamund tilted her head to the side. Elmont tried to be as polite as he could. "It sure was wonderful, lady Rosamund." He bowed his head and dropped his hand from her shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me, I fear I am obliged to speak to my other guests. I wish you a fine evening, milady.

He could see the disappointment in her eyes, but she nodded and wished him a good evening too.

Elmont very much enjoyed himself talking to all his beloved friends, and fellow knights. Between their missions and heavy training schedules there wasn't much time left to socialize, but tonight he could make up for that. Once again he was reminded of the good-hearted people they were. Elmont trusted them to have his back in battle, and he would take an arrow for each one of them. They were good men, and he felt proud to be their Captain.

But besides that, it was wonderful to have this merry moment amongst them just to talk about anything else but armoury and battle strategies, to crack jokes and laugh.

It sure was a good party. But later on the evening, things got even better.

He spotted Aislin standing aside on the courtyard as she suppressed a yawn. Elmont knew, this might be his only chance to ask her to dance. Feeling slightly anxious, he approached her.

"I hope you don't find this party boring. Cause if so, I'd feel obliged to entertain you!"

She turned round to meet his eye.

"Well no I erhm.. I'm not a good dancer really," she shrugged apologetically

"Nonsense! I'll lead." Without hesitation he took her by the hand and pulled her in for a dance.

Being this close to her he could smell her feminine scent, both fresh and sweet. He had to resist the urge to nuzzle her golden hair. But at the same time, he lightly caressed her back as he led her into the right rhythm of the dance.

To his delight, he noticed she closed her eyes, letting herself be led my him without hesitations.

Elmont almost felt sorry to 'wake' her when the music stopped.

Softly he kissed the palm of her hand, tasting her soft skin.

He had done it once before, when they first met, to show his respect for her. But today's kiss was a thank you... and perhaps a slight promise of what they future might hold.

All Elmont knew was that she made him smile, and he loved spending this time with her.

He wondered whether it would be too straight forward to ask her for another dance, but they were brutally disturbed by lady Rosamund.

"Lord Elmont... will you dance with me again?" Elmont suppressed a heavy sigh.

"I would have loved to, but I fear I can't lady Rosamund, I must see Miss Cavanagh home safe."

Elmont glanced at Aislin. It was the first thing that came to mind, trying to escape from lady Rosamund. He surely didn't want to pull her away from the party, if she did not want to go yet.

"You're leaving ?!", Rosamund cried out.

Thankfully Aislin nodded, and held her hand to her mouth covering a yawn (though Elmont couldn't tell if it was a real one)

"Yes, sadly. But feel free to stay here as long as you wish to dance. Have a good night, milady".

It worked! Lady Rosamund bowed, as she frowned at Aislin just a little too obvious and left them alone.

"You don't have to take me home, John. I'll be all right." Aislin said calmly.

"I most certainly will! Your cottage is about 3 miles down the hill and it's pitch black. I won't let you go by yourself."

Now that he had pushed her into leaving, he surely wasn't going to leave her alone.

"I know the way, even in darkness. Really, I can manage."

"It isn't safe for a lady alone at this time of night. So either I take you home or... "

A sudden image of Aislin flashed his mind: curled up in his blankets, her long blond hair scattered over the pillow. The vivid picture took him by surprise, like a memory that was yet to happen. He pictured her sleeping safely in his bed. The sheets barely covering her breasts

He paused for a second, to let his heartbeat return to normal. He tried to sound cool and reserved when he spoke again:

"Just let me get my horse, and I'll take you home Aislin."

Quickly he walked away to call for a stable-boy. He didn't want Aislin to notice his impure thoughts. Somehow he felt like it was written all over his face.

It wasn't like him to suddenly lust over a girl. Elmont scolded himself for letting his mind wander. He obviously had enough to drink at this party.

Minutes later Elmont was riding home. Aislin was sitting in front of him.

He couldn't see her eyes from where he was sitting, but he felt her body sink closer to his and he knew she was falling asleep. He didn't mind at all. With one hand he held her close, to prevent her from falling as he steered his horse in the right direction with the other.

Elmont felt the gentle pressure of her weight against his. He could only think of how pleasant her body felt in his arms. He set up straight in the saddle, his eyes in front scanning the area in the dark for anything out of the ordinary. Elmont was on high guard, protecting Aislin just like he would the princess of Cloister. Except this ride with her could take all night, for all he cared.

All too soon he could make out the contours of Aislin's little cottage

"You're home, milady," he whispered to her ear. Just loud enough to gently wake her.

"Oh right... thank you John". Her voice sounded drowsy

Aislin let herself be helped down to the ground.

He wanted to say something special to her, but didn't know what to say. So he merely said:

"Goodnight Aislin," and rode home, with her on his mind.


End file.
